


Mother's Intuition

by orphan_account



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: Billy before he had powers, F/M, M/M, Mention of a lot of superheroes, Other, Rebecca's POV, jewish and Yiddish culture mentioned, kind of graphic description of Billy when he gets beat up, rebecca approves of all of Billy's boyfriends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-09
Updated: 2014-11-09
Packaged: 2018-02-24 17:28:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 7,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2590070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rebecca Kaplan has always known her son was different, even before he knew.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

When Rebecca Kaplan knew

When he was seven I got my first clue. He came home from Ms. Allen's second grade class sometime in late May with a small little book titled "When I Grow Up..." He held it up with pride and looked me if I wanted to read it. Of course I did. The cover was bright red and has a child's drawing of a house in green and the title "When I Grow Up... By: Billy Kaplan" I flip to the first page with a smile. On the first grade was a poorly draw picture of what had to be Captain America and the Scarlet Witch because the caption of the picture was "When I Grow Up... I want to be a superhero!" In between Captain America and the Scarlet Witch was I little stick figure drawn in black crayon with a red cape and a arrow point to it proclaiming that the stick figure was in fact Billy. I turned to the next page "or be a doctor. My momy and dady are doctors. They help people feel beter. They love there jobs. They are like superheros." To go with the flattering, there was a picture of me and Jeff drawn in a Paicso-esque style. Next to Jeff was a heart that had been stitched together with poorly, and next to me a brain with a band-aid over it. Turn the page. "When I Grow Up... I will live in a big house. I will own a cat and a dog. I will own a goldfish." There was a depiction of all of the pets Billy would own, and his big, you guess it, red house. I turn the page again, and that's when it first hits me. "When I Grow Up... I will mary a princes." At first I think he is trying to spell 'princess.' But one look at the picture on the page and I know he isn't. Depicted above is a boy. I blonde haired boy with hearts all around him. I instinctively grab the page. Fearing for my child. What did the teacher say about this? Did she disrupt Billy's mental and physiology development by saying that marrying a prince wasn't okay? Had she say something to make Billy retract in to a more social normalized version of himself? I smiled and got down to eye level with my first born son.  
"This is very good, Billy." I praised. "I especially like the part where you marry the prince." I encouraged, pulling Billy into her arms.  
"Ms. Allen said she thought I'd make an excellent superhero."  
"Did she say anything about your prince?"  
"No." Billy said lightly. "Can I go play with my action figures now?"  
"Of course, sweetheart."  
Thank you Ms. Allen


	2. Chapter Two

I got my second clue when Billy was twelve. He was on the cusp of puberty and Jeff and I mentally prepared for the hormone ride that was the teenage years. Ever since Billy's future dreams were discovered, I was always careful about what I said, and made sure Jeff was to. We never talked about Billy have a girlfriend, or wife. We always referred to 'your special someone,' or 'whoever you marry.' But still I wondered if the prince incident had ever even happened, or if I'd just dreamed it up. Until The topic of favorite superheroes came up over lamp chops and green beans. "Well, who's your favorite X-Man, then?" Jeff asked after Jack, Billy's six-year-old brother, had said he's favorite superhero was Captain Marvel. "I think Guardian is so cool!" Jack said excitedly.   
"Guardian isn't a member of the X-Men." Jeff said, confused.  
"Yes he is."   
"No. I thought Guardian was a member of Alpha Flight."   
"Oooooh. That Guardian! No I mean the guy with the wings!"  
"Oh. Well, who's your favorite member of Alpha Flight?" Jeff interviewed.  
"Hmmm... I don't know... Shaman! He does magic, like the Scarlet Witch! It's so cool!" Jack nearly shouted out of excitement. He's eyes turned to Billy.  
"'Illy who's your favorite member of Alpha Flight?" Jack asked. Billy paused, thinking long and hard.   
"While... I... I have a real respect for Northstar if that's what you mean..." Billy treaded carefully, his cheeks flushed. He knew what he was doing. This was a carefully calculated move. It was important how everyone responded.  
"Who's faster: Northstar or Aurora?" Jeff asked, carefully taking a lamp chop. His move almost as calculated as Billy's.   
"Well, Northstar's faster but Aurora's got more endurance."   
"Who's faster: Northstar or Quicksilver?"  
"Northstar's top speed is Mach 7, Quicksilvers top speed is Mach 5. So, Northstar."  
"Dang, kid can move. Kid's got a lot of guts too. Being an openly gay public figure? Takes a lot to be open about who you are in the time Northstar first come out. Guys helped to make the world a better and safer place. The world needs more men like him."   
I was so glad that Jeff always seemed to know the right thing to say. I'd thank him for being such a good dad later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is a sloppy! I didn't really know what to write for this one and I didn't want to go immediately to what happens next...


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter has mention of suicide. Also homophobic behavior.

Billy was thirteen, I knew for sure. He started the school year and he had friends, he brought home a boy named Jimmy Stidham. Jimmy was about 5'9" and weighed around 165lb. He had jet black hair and dark mischievous eyes. He skin painted his Native American heritage from head to toe, and he was only a grade ahead of Billy. They played video games and talked about superheroes and Jimmy was a good friend to Billy. The way Billy's cheeks flushed whenever Jimmy shook Jeff's hand. The fact that Jimmy Always packed him an extra sandwich whenever he knew Billy forgot his lunch, And always made sure the sandwich was kosher. The way he smiled whenever Jimmy called him 'Bill' or 'Bobby.' The two were best friends, they might not have know that they were something more, but I did. Then the week before Thanksgiving, Billy came home late. His hair was a mess, his face was flushed pink, and even his eyes were smiling. He was wrapped up in Jimmy's X-Men themed sweater which was a size too big, but that didn't seem to bother him. When I turned to ask him about his obviously good day, he was already gone In to his bedroom. Now I'm not one to practice spying on my kids, but when I heard Billy on the phone, I pressing my against his door.  
"Yeah.... Yeah! HE kissed ME! HE asked ME out! and then he kissed me!... Yeah... Oh my god... Wendy, I have a boyfriend!" I could have collapsed right then and there. His happiness was contagious. His excitement palpable. And now I knew for sure.

When Billy was thirteen, other people knew too, though. It started a couple weeks after Billy and Jimmy started dating. First it was a cut on Jimmy's forehead. His mischievous eyes were gloomy, as he said "it's honestly nothing Mrs. K, I was skateboarding to school this morning and I wasn't wearing a helmet. Hit a rock and.... Bam... Walked away from it with this bad boy." But you can only use that excuse so many times. It was the same story with Jimmy's black eye, his bloody nose, and his broken rib. Mid-December Billy came home. His eyes were red, and his face was puffy from crying. Freddie, Billy's youngest brother was six at the time, and I had been coloring with him when Billy got home. He didn't look at me, he just went straight to his room and I knew something awful had happened. When I got the Billy's door, I could hear the muffled crying.  
"Billy? Can I come in?" The crying immediately stopped. It was dead silence for a couple seconds and then the door opened. "What happened, Billy?" Silence. "I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong." That earn me a sniffle. "If it's making you this upset, I have a right to know."  
"Jimmy's gone." He whispered. The words fell like a ton of bricks. I strides over to his bed, wrapping my arms around him and guiding him to rest. We sat for a few moments. Before I finally got the courage to speak.  
"What do you mean he's gone." I whispered, I couldn't raise my voice, I was to afraid of what Jimmy had done. Did he overdose? Did he hang himself? Did he slit his wrist in the bathtub? Billy swallowed his grief and said   
"He told his... parents... That he.... Was.... IS gay. And they sent him to... His aunt upstate... To... 'Straighten him out.'" He managed to finish but the sobs that followed were sickening. He wasn't just grief because his Jimmy was gone and because he could never speak to him again. Billy was scared. Scared that we would send him upstate, scared of what we would do when he came out to us. And that December, while we celebrated the Festival of Lights, I watched Billy slip into darkness.


	4. Chapter Four

Billy was fourteen when he shut me out. Just after Hanukkah, Billy switched from his old after-school routine of getting home, sitting at the kitchen table doing his homework, helping Jack with his homework, dinner, shower, hot chocolate- even in the warmer months, Billy drank hot chocolate before bed- while he talked to his dad about the latest superhero new or debating politics, and then to his room for the night. His new routine had become home, and straight to his home. He was never hungry, never wanted to spend time with his family, a crucial part of development, and never left his bedroom. Eventually he began to stay gone from school too. Someday He had the stomach bug. Then he'd have a rash. The list went on and on. But still I let him stay home. He was a smart kid, he kept his GPA up. He never missed too much school. But then we got to near midterms, and Billy asked to stay home again. "I just don't feel good." He said. But I wasn't have it.  
"Billy you have midterms next week, your teachers are reviewing. You missed so much school already, you can't miss this!" But he groan and buried his face deeper in the pillow.   
"I'm not going." He moaned, muffled by the pillow.  
"Unless your missing a limb, you're going."   
"No I'm not." He protested. I tried not to get frustrated.   
"Yes, William you are." I said it in a matter that Billy had never denied before. A very firm, stern, mother-in-charge, putting-my-foot-down matter.   
"NO IM NOT." He shouted. He was even more frustrated than I was. But even knowing the backlash of yelling at Billy, something about the way he yelled at me, I was so mad. I blew.  
"William Tobias Kaplan! I've had enough of this!" I shouted, ripping the covers off of him "I will not be disrespected and screamed at in my-" but as I began to say the last part, my eyes fell on Billy's bare back, and it was enough to stop anyone mid sentence.  
His back was covered with blue and black bruises, and some healing pink ones. It was easier to say his back was black and blue with skin toned patches, than that his back was ski toned with black and blue spots. He rolled over and his chest and face were even worse. His stomach was an ugly black, green, yellow bruise that went from his hip to his belly button. On his rib cage was a yellowing bruise that was definitely the imprint of a shoe. His lip was split open, his eyes were black, and their was a scanned over gash on his forehead. He stared at me, a deer in the headlights, and before I could even say anything, he spoke.  
"I-I fell... In-in gym class... We were playing dodgeball!"   
"Who did this?" I whispered  
"I fell in gym class."  
"Billy-"  
"We-we were playing dodgeball."   
"But you-"  
"I fell."   
I felt like I was about to cry. I knew I was about to cry.   
"We should have you transfer."  
"What?" He asked, shocked.  
"There's a better school nearby-"  
"No-"  
"I can drive you to school-"  
"But I-"  
"You can start fresh-"  
"I fell... In gym class... We were playing dodgeball." He pleaded. It wasn't just His story of why he was so injured, he was saying it like it was his survival, his only reason to stay at that school. So I felt my throat close up. I opened my mouth to speak, nothing happened. So I left, and I went to the downstairs and left, I went to my office. I didn't have a meeting for 20 minutes, so I wept. I wept for Billy. I wept because how do you help your son who insist he is okay?


	5. Chapter Five

Less than a week after seeing Billy beaten and bruised body, he came home without any.   
After seeing the bruises that night me and Jeff sat down with Billy and fought him for the truth, but he never caved, and all it did was upset the entire household and exhaust everyone- no one gave up until it was 12:30 and all of us began loosing our voices, and Billy slammed his door and screamed that he hated us. I stayed up until 2:00am taking a nice long shower that could cover my sobs (nearly fell asleep with my session with Ms. Bradley- a young girl with terrible schizophrenia.)   
Billy was grounded, per say, but whenever he came home from school from that week, he had to remove his t-shirt and show us the new bruises. My eyes left red with anger, everyday there was a new bruise and silence from Billy. 'I'll sue.' I thought. I wasn't sure who I was planning on suing, but I wanted everything they had. All of it.  
When Billy came home with no bruises, not even the ones from the past days, I was stunned.   
"Billy...?"  
"What?" The smile that he had been wearing (that goofy little smirk, God how I'd missed it.) dropping from his face replaced by a look of confusion.  
"What... Where.. Where are the bruises?" I was dumbfounded. The smile returned, and Billy told me the wild story of meeting the Scarlet Witch, and her healing magic, and her speech. I didn't follow a lot, but I remember the feeling from seeing my son so warm again, so alive. The little boy who just wanted a prince to love him and to be a superhero (or doctor). the boy who'd shouted thank you'd to me and Jeff when we got him the just because gift of a captain America action figure. The bot who'd run around the house with his Thor cape draped over his shoulders, even after Freddie's friend and his dog came over and his dog has torn huge gashes and holes in it. The boy who'd been so in love with Jimmy Stidham. The boy who I was so very proud to call my son.  
That night dinner was pancakes, a meal which Billy hated unless they were chocolate chip. He ate 7 pancakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I meant to post this yesterday about my dog passed away. Very sorry for the late chapter


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the way it's writes I'm literally about to pass out I'm so tried.

It was three weeks later when the phone rang.  
Freddie had been running a fever and had a nasty cold so I'd stayed home with him to make sure he would be okay. Poor little Freddie's cold had taken a turn for the worst. He had a stomach bug too. It took an hour, but he was finally keeping down the orange juice I had given him, and was taking a very restless nap in his rooms I was on the phone with the doctor to get poor Freddie an appointment when the phone beeped. There was a call on the other end. "Oh! Sorry Jessica! I have another call. So you can see him at 2:00? ...sounds great! Thanks Jess!" With the doctor's settled, I picked up the other call. "Hello, you've reached Dr. Rebecca Kaplan." The formal greeting was a force of habit.  
"M-m-mrs. Kaplan?" My heart dropped. This woman sounded so shaken up. Was it a patient who had gotten my home phone? "This is.. Ms. Jacklyn with West End High School." No. I feel my heart drop. This is much worse.  
"Billy." I whisper. Forgetting I'm on the phone. What did they do to him? What did they do to my boy.  
"Yes. I'm afraid there has been an accident." No. No. No no no no no no. This can't be happening.   
"What happened to my boy?" I whispered.  
"He electrocuted another student." Ms. Jacklyn suddenly sounded angry. "He electrocuted another student, and then he ran away. You son is in very big trouble Mrs. Kaplan. He needs to return to school and take responsi-"  
"How did this happen?" I say. I grantee Billy did not electrocute another on propose. He was more of the type to burn with chemicals. Electrocution just wasn't his style.   
"We aren't really sure. Our eye witnessed say there was conflict between the boys and then it turned physical and then Billy eletrocuted him."  
"Is the student okay? Where's Billy?"  
"The student is severe burned and frightened. He was taken to midtown because of the injuries your son gave to him. I hope Billy knows-" she was such a snob. I blew up.  
"Listen lady, I only asked as a formality. Tell me where the fuck my son is."  
"... We don't know."  
"Excuse me." I hissed.  
"After he's little display, he vanished in the hustle and confusion."  
"So you lost my child?"  
"No, your child ran away."  
"Well I'm going to find him."  
"Well, ma'am if you do find him brim him here. We sure would like to have a little chat with the boy." And then she hung up. I called Jess and canceled the appointment. I called my neighbor and she came and took care of Freddie while I ran around the city looking for Billy. I finally found him sitting on a bench outside of Avener's mansion. Where a week ago, he'd met the Scarlet Witch. I sat next to him and brought him close.  
"Mom I killed him." He whimpered  
"No you didn't, Billy."   
"Yes I did mom. I killed him and you're just trying to make me feel better because I'm a fugitive now."   
"Oh billy. Your being quite dramatic but no: you didn't kill him and you're not a fugitive." I hummed, rocking him in an attempt to comfort. He sniffled and came closer to me for warmth. "So, are you going to tell me what happened?" He shrugged   
"I don't really know what happened. Kessler usually beats on me and I saw him beating on a another kid so I drew the attention off of him and than Kessler was not top of me with his fist drawn back and I just remember thinking 'I with there was some way to protect myself' and then. Kessler was electrocuted. And I was glowing blue." He rushed out. Oh my god. Billy didn't just electrocute the kid. HE electrocute the kid. He didn't it. Not he stuck some homophobes hand in an outlet, he produced the electricity himself.   
"Billy, get up where going."   
"Going where, mom?"  
"The hospital. I think you should have some blood work done."


	7. Chapter Seven

We spent 3 hours in the hospital. at least one an a half of those Hours were spent waiting, 45 minutes doing actual test and taking blood for test, and all 3 hours were spent trying to keep Billy from a panic attack. While Billy got dressed into he street clothes as opposed to his hospital gown the Doctor, Dr. Galen, informed me on the situation. "It seems extremely consist with the manifestation of the abilities that come with the X-gene. We'll run DNA tests and see if your son had the X-gene... You're positive neither you or your husband are mutants?"  
"Yes sir, 100%."  
"Okay. Oh, I almost forgot; these are for Billy. Have him take them until he feels he doesn't need them anymore."   
"What are they?"  
"Sleeping pills." He stated. I gave him a puzzled look, hoping he'd explain more. "Due to the trauma of cause another student harm, Billy is going through shock. As you well know, sometimes the best way to sort things out is sleeping. As well as... Well, to be quite honest, I'm worried Billy would bring harm to himself if he were awake." He sighed. "Don't worry Dr. Kaplan, your son is in good hands. We will get back to you in a couple of days with the results." As if on cue, Billy came into the room and faked a small smile. He put on his coat. Right before he left he turned to the doctor and asked how Kessler was doing. "Better than you are kid." The Doctor smiled.   
"Can you just tell him... I'm... I'm sorry? Actually don't. He doesn't want to hear from me. Sorry to waste your time." And then he left with me on his heelsz

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for all the mistake in this chapter and the last one, I was typing quickly... And also after taking my sleeping medication.


	8. Chapter Eight

For two days we waited. For a phone call, for Billy to feel better, anything that would help us start moving forward again. I had been do my internet research the past few days and had found a website for parents who have mutant child, parents who are mutants, and parents who are trying to figure it out. How long does it take to get results from the X-Gene Test? One mother said it took 2 hours. A father said it took 3 months. All of them suggested preparing yourself for a positive. They had told their stories How they handled their children's mutation. How "accepting" and "brave" they were. Others had more useful things. One mother who I came in contact with was especially helpful. "My son Victor is a mutant." She said, "and the best thing to do is to keep yourself informed," she send a link with the current laws applying to mutants. "remember no one knows your child better than your child. They have things that they will struggle with caused by their mutant, just as they'll haves thing they struggle with that aren't caused by their mutant." So we began talking about our son's. She asked me what Had brought on the manifestation. So I told her about the electrocution and the fact that the boy was Billy's aggressor (which I had found out that day while Billy was in a limbo state between sleep and awake. The boy was John Kessler, and he had been beating on Billy for almost 3 months at that point.)   
"That's awful. How has the school reacted?"  
"Billy has been suspended. But now they're talking about expelling him."  
"But if this is a manifestation (which it seems very likely to have been) Billy had no control and therefore can not be expelled."  
"The school board apparently found some loop hole in the law. I don't know how. Billy has never had any incident before this one. I don't know why they're so adamant about expelling him but... What do I do if they go through with the expulsion?"   
"Have you ever heard of the Jean-Grey School For Higher Learning?"  
"...no."  
"It's a school specifically for mutants. It's a wonderful school. The teachers are fantastic, also mutants and some are mutant superheroes. They not only teach kids how to control and use their mutations, they have excellent core class course." She raved.  
"Is that where Victor goes?"  
"Yes and he loves it. When it became obvious that victor was a mutant, he asked us if he could go. He said he just didn't feel safe in his school. Now I don't know how much had to do with his mutant or his sexuality-"  
"Wait. His sexuality?" I questioned. She paused, Hesitating. "Yes. My son is gay. Is that a problem?" She became snappy towards the end. I hadn't realized how my reaction had sounded.  
"It's not a problem at all. In fact I was hoping I heard you right. My son Billy. He's gay."   
"Oh! Oh my goodness, I'm sorry for sounding irritated-"  
"No! Don't be! I totally get it!" We both chuckled and sighed.   
"Well the Jean-Grey School has been wonderful for both encouraging Victor to learn more about his mutation and is probably one of the safest schools in the country for LGBTQA youth. Students are given sort of guidance counselor... More like mentors, I guess. Well when Victor first went to Jean-Grey he had troubling accepting who he was more because of his sexuality. So they had Jean-Paul Beaubier as his mentor, in hopes of helping him realize it was as big of a deal as everyone made it seem? He's like a second father to Him now; and now Victor is helping other kids with both accepting their mutations and sexualities. But of course, the only way it would work really well is they'd have to want to be there."  
"Well, Of course. But I also have to get the results back from the test before I even ask. But I'll definitely be keeping Jean-Grey in mind."  
"When you know, let me know. And don't let some of the other people on this website fool you; being a parent of a mutant isn't hard at all. There is only one reason why being the parent of a mutant would be hard."  
"And that is?"  
"If your child is also a superhero."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like the little Easter egg. ;)


	9. Chapter Nine

That night after talking to Mrs. borkowski, i went downstairs where my boys seemed to have gathered in the living room around the TV. Since coming home from the hospital, Billy had been on the couch sleeping on and off while watching Star Wars when he was conscious. I guess he had finished the trilogy because now on the TV was Jurassic Park. Jack sat on the floor, leaned against the couch by Billy's (who was currently asleep) feet. Jeff sat in his chair with Freddie in his lap. Freddie had also fallen asleep, exhausted from his body fending off the cold he had. I decided to join them. We'd order pizza or something. I situated myself on the couch hoping not to disturb Billy. A few minutes later the T-Rex appeared on screen for the first time and did its mighty roar. Billy rolled and mumbled "did you know they used a tiger, an alligator, and an elephant to create the t-Rex roar?" He moved so that his head would be in my lap as a makeshift pillow, without even opening his eye.   
"I'm sure you've told me before." I chuckled. He did his best attempt at a smirk, but fell asleep. We sat in silence except for the occasional sniffle from Freddie and snore from Billy. As the music began to swell, announcing the end of the first movie, and Jack began searching for The Lost World disc, the phone rang. Jeff and I immediately looked at each other. Jack froze and then looked at us, he knew too. I moved carefully, making sure I didn't wake Billy up, and walked calmly to the phone. I felt conscious of every sound; the piercing ring of the telephone, the rhythmic clicking of my heels on the ceramic kitchen floor. The buzzing of the TV that suddenly stopped when I picked up the phone.  
"Hello?" I said, trying to sound confident.  
"Hi this is Franco's Pizza. I just wanted to double check, that was a Large Hawaiian Pizza, but make sure it had no ham on it, and a small cheese, right?" Of course.   
"Yes."  
"Alright ma'am, pizza'll be there in about 20 minutes."   
"Um. Thank you." I said. I hang up the phone and walked back into the living room. Jeff, Jack, and Freddie all stared at me with the same eager brown eyes. Jack was the first one to break  
"Sooo?"  
"Unless your older brother is a Hawaiian pizza with no ham from Franco's, that wasn't the results of his test." Everyone In the room released a collective breath. Soon, The Lost World was playing and a pizza had arrived. The small cheese was for Billy. He was the only one in the family who didn't like our Kosher Hawaiian pizza. But, since he was asleep, we simply ate in silence and watched T-Rexs and velociraptors murder human beings. Somewhere around the boats arrival to San Diego, I must have fallen asleep. Because when I was awaken by the sharp sound of the telephone, I didn't think much of it.   
"Hello?"  
"Hi, can I speak to Rebecca Kaplan?"  
"That would be me."  
"Hi Mrs. Kaplan, it's Dr. Galen." I nearly dropped the phone. "And I have the results of Billy's test." I can feel my heart racing.  
"They're positive, aren't they?"  
"Yes they are but dont worry, Billy being a muta-"  
"Oh thank god." I sighed, Dr. Galen chuckled.  
"Can honestly say I've never had a parent be relieved before. I'm just thankful you aren't upset."  
"This is the best news I've gotten today." I chuckled. "Thank you Dr. Galen."  
"Anytime Mrs. Kaplan. If you need anything, you can also call this number."  
"Thank you. Good bye."  
"Good bye." Before I'd even hung up the phone, Jeff was in the doorway. We gave each other a look and we did not need words. Jeff sent Jack and Freddie upstairs. We would tell them the news separate from Billy.   
"Billy, sweetheart. Wake up." I said, shaking him slightly. His eyes fluttered open, still heavy with sleep. He hummed in the back of his throat, A lazy sound, but a sound of acknowledgement. "Bee, the doctor just called with your test results." I said, running my fingers through his hair. "They came back positive for the X-Gene."   
"You're a mutant, sport." Jeff sighed. Billy smiled, closing his eyes.   
"Like the x-men." He chuckled.   
"Yeah." Jeff smiled, "my little x-man."   
"I could have.." Billy started, and yawned. "I could have told you a long time ago I was a mutant." He mumbled. After that, he fell back sleep. So we both kissed our sons forehead, and went to gather our two youngest to tell them that there other brother was a out and proud mutant.


	10. Chapter Ten

It took two days to tell the whole family that Billy was a mutant. I asked Billy if he wanted to tell them, or if he wanted me to tell them. He said he'd rather have me do it. He said I was better with words and that he was still sore from the experience, and still wanted to rest. It was a lot of phone calls and repeating myself. And the responses definitely varied.   
His Bobe and Zayde weren't surprised. "Billy's always been a little... Different from the rest of the family. Not a bad different! Just sort of... Foreign?" It wasn't the best way of phrasing it, but English isn't their first language. In the end, they gave up in English, and explained, in Yiddish, "Billy is mutant, but that we always knew Billy wasn't a regular boy. He was special. The only thing we hate, is that he thought this would change anything about the fact that we love him."   
Uncle Jeremiah brought humor as always. "I honestly don't care if Billy's on fire and I'm the only one who can put it out. Don't call me at noon! Some people are trying to sleep!"   
Even Jeff's family seemed to understand and accept Billy as a mutant. Well I think. I don't speak Polish, but they sounded pleased!  
I wondered if this is what it'd be like when we tell them Billy is gay. I hope so. It seemed so easy. If Billy knew we knew, we could just kill two birds with one stone. I wish he would just tell us already. It's almost getting uncomfortable.   
It almost happened last night. Billy and I were watching TV. 60 minutes was doing a story on the history of mutants. Billy wanted to watch because he knew the x-men were doing an interview for it. He always watched any interview that was done with an avenger or an x-man. Always, and at least twice. They interviewed each of the current roster separately, asking all different questions. After Gambit finished his interview with a sarcastic comment and mischievous smirk, they cut to a picture of Northstar in act. I can feel Billy shift uneasily beside me. then the host's VoiceOver "Northstar, also know as Jean-Paul Beaubier, is a mutant speedster. A former member of the Canadian team Alpha Flight, Beaubier has always been a controversial figure. First, for his mutation, which he used to his advance as an Olympic skier, and then for the ever hanging issue of his sexuality." Issue? Really? Still using the term issue when it comes to sexuality other than straight? It cuts to Northstar, he looks absolutely miserable. Then the host speaks. "So Northstar, when did you first decide you were gay?" The interviewer ask. The sigh from Northstar, and the eye roll are too perfect, and even more perfect was his response.   
"While you know, I think I really made the decision around the same time you interviewer stopped asking me dumb(bleep) questions like that. So never. I never decide I was gay." I smiled and looked at Billy. Who had been smirking, when he noticed my gaze, he gave me a funny look.   
"What?" He asked.  
"Nothing. Just- this is actually the reason I'm so glad you and your brothers look up to these people." I smiled.  
"What do you mean?"  
"Jean-Paul Beaubier is so unapologetic about who he is. And he doesn't pretend like he has to be nice to ignorance. He tells it like it is."  
"He's very brave." Billy mumbles. Our eyes lock and I can see it in his eyes. He has to tell me something. "Do you still love me?" He whispered  
"What?" I'm stunned. "Of course I love you. I love you no matter what, you're my baby. What kind of question is that?"   
"I don't know. I just- I just don't want things to change just because I'm-" he stops dead. I can see it in his eyes, I can see what he wanted to say.  
"Just because you're what." I prompted.  
"Just because I'm a mutant." He whispers. We sit for a couple seconds. On the TV they talk about Northstar teaching at the Jean Grey School. They're getting ready to close on the section with him, probably go on to Iceman next. But they still have one more question for him. It's the question they've been question every X-men.  
"What advice would you give to a younger you. Who was just figuring out who they were, in your case, not just that they were a mutant but also that they were gay. What would you tell him?"   
"I would tell him that... I would tell him That his feelings are valid and real, that he isn't wrong. That God isn't going to cast a lightning bolt down from heaven and strike him down. I would tell him to have faith. That the world is going to change its mind. About homosexuality, about mutants, especially about Canadians. You know, it might take a long time, but the world is going to change, and your going to be part of that change." He smiles, and leans back in his chair. The host smiles too.  
"You know." Billy says. "He's probably my favorite member of the X-Men."   
We both share a look of knowing, I think it's a look of knowing. But whatever it is. We smile too. We are content with who we are. A family, for better or worse.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: cutting/scars mentioned

He's fifteen and he finally has his own group of friends.  
Billy has always floated around with people but has never felt he really belonged. Rarely did I ever met his friends outside of Jimmy and Sarah, who was Jimmy's twin sister. Jimmy is in a private school now, I hear. But from the pictures on Facebook from their family Christmas Eve Party, he doesn't look happy or healthy. His eyes are sunken in. His face drained of its usual glow, he doesn't smile, he just lifts the corners of his mouth and hopes it counts. Then the biggest sign of his unhappiness is the scars. Billy has those scars. We don't talk about them. There haven't been new once since a few days after his mutation revealing itself. Around the time he says he met his group of friends.  
"Mom, Eli has need seen The Sound Of Music." Billy says as the group throws themselves down on any furniture they could find room on. Cassie and Nate fling themselves on the love seat. They've legs becoming a tangled mess.   
Cassie is a sweet little thing. Your typical blonde hair, blue eyed, all-American girl. She loves Taylor Swift and dancing around even though she's an awful dancer. She hasn't disclosed her last name yet, even though I know it's Lang. Billy accidentally gushed about being friends with Scott Lang's daughter. ("Mom, she's LIVED in Avenger's Mansion. She calls Tony Stark, THE Anthony Edwin Stark Uncle Tony.")   
Nate was an alright kid, handsome and nice. But odd. He was militaristic. Almost like he didn't understand how our world worked. If a mother was to have sent him to me, I would have most definitely diagnosed him as being somewhere on the Autism Spectrum. But to me all that mattered was how deeply he cared about Billy.  
Eli flopped into Jeff's armchair. He was quite the character. Very military. Always called me 'ma'am' and called Jeff 'Sir.' Very vocal about the inequality and injustice. But he was a little sexist. Nothing that wasn't fixed by a sharp glance from Cassie and Kate, but still got under my skin.  
Kate sat herself on the couch. Oh, I love Kate. She's smart, and quick as a whip with a smart, most of the time, sarcastic response to everything. She what I imagine my daughter would be like if I had had one. She was beautiful too. Jack would stare at her when she came over for dinner, when she asked him to pass the rolls I thought he was going to faint. The first time Billy brought her over, I think he tried to sell to us that he was dating Kate. After dinner he said "okay. Me and Katie are going upstairs."  
"Okay." I said, starting the dishes while Freddie grabbed a towel to do the drying.   
"...into my bedroom." He continued.  
"Okay?"  
"Uhh.... I'm going to close my door so we don't bother you."  
"Okay." I shrugged  
"Um. Bye?" Billy said, getting up. Kate following behind snickering.   
"Oh Billy wait!" I said. He turned around, I think he was hoping I would tell him to leave his door open but instead I said. "I found your Darth Vader helmet! It was in the laundry room with the cape!"   
"Darth Vader helmet?" Kate said as she sniffled a laugh.  
"Oh shuddup." Billy said rolling his eyes, as the bounded up the stairs.  
Billy sat next to Kate on the couch, in the middle, and on his right?  
Teddy.  
Teddy might actually be a dream. He's handsome, smart, funny. He shook Jeff's hand when they first met. He always says please and thank you. He asked me what I wanted to be called. He talks to Freddie and Jack whenever they are around, asking them how their day was. He was just as nerdy as Billy. He had an impeccable Yoda impression... Actually, he had an impeccable anyone impression. He knew all the words to all the Hobbit movies, and the two could go on for hours back and forth with useless trivia an nerd facts. But the best part about Teddy? The way he looked at Billy. He looked at Billy like he was Marvel Superheroes #12 in mint condition. He looked at Billy like any mother hopes someone will look at their children one day.   
By the time the Sound of Music had finished, the kids had devoured three large pizzas and most of them had passed out. Poor kids seemed so exhausted. But I woke them up and sent them home. Billy was sleeping tucked under Teddy's arm. Teddy rested his head on Billy's. When I woke Teddy up, Billy said, without moving or opening his eyes, "Teddy's mom said he could spend the night."   
"Well then," I sighed, "at least go up to your room and sleep in your bed."   
"Okay." He said, and the pair got up and began dragging themselves up the stairs.  
"Wait, Billy!"  
"Yeah mom?"  
"Keep the room open." I smirked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness! We finally met Teddy!! It only took FOREVER! 
> 
> Note about Marvel. I think it the Marvel universe, Marvel Comics would be a comic book company that makes their comics based off real life superheroes.


	12. Chapter 12

Just two weeks after Billy and his friend watched the Sound Of Music, there was a headline   
YOUNG AVENGERS? A NEW GENERATION OF HEROES.  
There was a picture with these "young avengers" it was blurry. But the one with the cape and Thor helmet, he looked so familiar and I have been trying to place his face all afternoon.   
"Hey, mom." Billy said, Teddy trailing behind him.  
"Hey, Billy. Did you hear about these... Young avengers?" He ducks quickly into the fridge   
"Uh... Yeah... Wh-what about them?"   
"Well just this, this... Asguardian, I think they call him? He just looks so familiar..." Billy peeks over my shoulder and squints at the picture  
"To blurry to tell anything, ma."  
"Well I think he is one handsome blur." Teddy said, over my other shoulder.   
"I'd have to agree with you, Mr. Altman." Billy chuckled. "We're going to go play Call of Duty." Billy said, and the two took off towards Billy's room.   
"Okay. Dinner will be at 6!" But they were already gone. A little while later, Jack came home, he was 13 now. Just starting puberty and discovering girls. It was awful, a train wreck. Every week, on Monday, a new girl he would hit on. And by Friday they were gone and Jack would mope around for the entire weekend. I'm really thankful Billy never went though this part at least.  
"How was your day sweetie?" I asked him  
"Fine, mother dearest. Hey, where's Billy? I need to borrow his copy of Modern Warfare when Darren comes over tonight."   
"In his room, with Teddy. Playing Call of duty." I replied. Jack blurted out a laugh. "What?"  
"Mom they are NOT playing call of duty." He chuckled. What were they playing? Modern Warfare? The Last of Us? Outlast? What? Jack gave me a knowing look.  
Oh.  
"Jackson Daniel Kaplan! That is highly inappropriate and- wait... You know about Billy?"  
"Umm... Yeah."  
"How do you know?"   
"He told me. Last month. When we went out to lunch he told me he was gay. I said I figured that out a long time ago, and then he punched me in the arm." He had told Jack. But not me?   
"Well, I promise you, they are not having sex. We're right down here! They aren't idiots!" And for that statement I got an eyebrow raise.  
"Okay maybe they aren't having sex but the Billy you said isn't an idiot is the same Billy that thought Alabama was a country in Africa for a solid 5 years. And even if they aren't, I'm not going up there!"  
"Fine! I'll go get the Modern Warfare to prove a point." I said, already climbing the stairs.  
"Thanks mom!" Jack called after me. I knocked at Billy's door before swinging it open.  
"Billy, Jack wants borrow your copy of Modern Warfare but his too chicken too-" I stopped dead in my tracks.   
Billy and Teddy were gone.  
It was like they had disappeared. "Oh my god." What do you even do? His cellphone was on the bed. They had been playing call of duty. By it was like they just vanished. There was no window open. No mess. No ransom note. "Jack!" I shouted, he flew up the stairs. Maybe he could come up with something reasonable. Luckily I can always count on Jack.  
"Mom he's 15. He's probably just snuck out to feel rebellious. We all know what a nerd Billy is. He probably went to the deli down the street with Teddy. You don't even have to worry about him eating ham. Billy's such a goodie-two-shoes that he'll sneak back in in an hour." Jack said cooly. At least he could think straight.   
I waited in his room all night. What if him and Billy did just go to the deli I thought, at 4. What if they went to the deli and then to the park, I thought at 4:30. What if they went to see A movie and just forgot to tell me I thought at 5:30. What if they were mugged crossed my mind at 6. What if someone saw them holding hands and didn't like it, I thought at 8. What if my baby boy has been murdered. I thought at 9. What if they're the young avengers, I thought at 10.  
I fell asleep sometime around 11.   
I was woken up any the window being thrown open and looked at the clock.  
1:06am  
"William Tobias Kaplan. Where have you been." I hissed "I have been worried sick about you! Do you know all the scenarios I've gone through? Do you know how scared I was-"  
"Nate's gone." He said, "can you yell at me in the morning? I really just want to go to bed." I was speechless  
"I wanted to go to bed hours ago! Instead I had to worry that you were arrested or mugged, or worse, lying dead in a ditch somewhere! You couldn't have called?!"  
"No I couldn't have called! I left my cellphone here! Can't you just stay out of my business for once!" He screamed  
"Maybe if you didn't run off without telling anyone where you were going, or do all these things behind our backs then I wouldn't have to be in your business!"  
"Just get out of my room!" He shouted  
"William!"  
"Leave me the fuck alone for once!" We both stared at each other in a stunned silence. Billy had never so as said crap in front of me. Now he was swearing at me? I could feel the sting of tears in my eyes.   
"You're grounded." I managed to keep it together for, before storming out and slamming his door. I could feel tears slip down my cheeks. My sweet little boy. Sneaking out? Swearing at me? What had happened? I went and heated myself up some dinner still stewing over what had happened with Billy. He didn't have a right to treat me that why. I had tried to give him everything. But as I walked by Billy's room I could hear the quiet sobbing. What had he said? Nate's gone. He had cared so deeply for Nate, almost as much as he cared for Teddy.   
Billy wasn't trying to hurt me.  
He was angry, upset. He felt a lose of control.   
He lashed out. Like a wild animal.  
He was in pain.

**Author's Note:**

> My first AO3 work! Hope you all enjoy! More chapters soon!


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